1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to microchip cards used in mobile telephones and more particularly to a device for use in mobile telephones for inserting a microchip card and holding it in contact with output terminals of a microchip card reader.
2. Description of the Prior Art
A mobile telephone usually has three portions:
a central portion which contains the electronic circuits,
a front portion that supports the screen and the keys, and
a rear portion that supports the battery.
The rear portion is removable and removing it uncovers the rear face of the central portion, which features various mobile contacts, some of which connect the battery and others of which connect a microchip card to a reader in the central portion.
Because the microchip card is also removable, the central portion includes a device for inserting and retaining the microchip card so that its contacts, of which there are six, abut against the mobile contacts of the microchip card reader.
In the prior art, the device for inserting and retaining the microchip card takes various forms, which have the major defect of being complicated by virtue of relying on pivoting and longitudinal displacement mechanisms that are costly to fabricate and assemble and fragile in use.
Also, some prior art devices have a thickness which increases commensurately that of the mobile telephone and occupy a large area of the printed circuit card supporting the electronic circuits.
One object of the present invention is therefore to provide a simple, rugged, inexpensive and compact device for inserting a microchip card into its reader and retaining it there.
The above object is achieved by using the shielding cage of the electronic circuit, which is configured for inserting and retaining the microchip card.
The invention provides a device for inserting and retaining a microchip card on a printed circuit card protected by shielding which includes means for inserting and retaining the microchip card.
To be more precise the invention provides a device for inserting a microchip card into and retaining the microchip card in a microchip card reader incorporating spring contacts adapted to cooperate with contact surfaces on the microchip card, electronic circuits of the reader being enclosed in radio frequency shielding in the form of a cover, which device consists in a partial depression of the upper portion of the shielding cover, with the exception of a tongue, the depression having an opening for the spring contacts to pass through, the distance between the plane of the spring contacts and the tongue allowing the microchip card to pass through it in order to insert it and retain it in the depression.
The depression extends to the periphery of the shielding cover to allow lateral insertion of the microchip card under the tongue.
The spring contacts are on either side of the tongue.
The depression incorporates a polarizer to prevent incorrect insertion of the microchip card.
The device is made by stamping and/or cutting a metal blank.
Other features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent on reading the following description, which is given with reference to the accompanying drawings, of one particular embodiment of the invention.